Old students of the Commonwealth Hall in the University of Ghana popularly called Old Vandals met at the premises of the Commonwealth Hall to protest the University of Ghana’s decision to re-assign all male residents from the Commonwealth and Mensah Sarbah Halls to other private hostels.
The Old Vandals Association (OVA) which is against the university’s directive described the university’s decision as undemocratic and an act of victimization. They advised the school to find alternative approaches which uphold the tenets of democracy and fairness in resolving the challenges experienced in the past.
After clashes between residents of Mensah Sarbah Hall and Commonwealth Hall last year, the university set up a committee to investigate the clash and propose amongst others, measures to curb such clashes. It is believed by many that, this directive is part of the recommendations proposed by the committee even though the report has not been made public.
Many stakeholders including members of the OVA have called for the release and publication of the investigative report which they believe is being implemented.
According to them, it is unfair and against due process to begin the implementation of recommendations in a report whose content is only known to the management of the university and not the affected persons and the general public. They also cite discrimination against men in the notice released by the university where only male students of Mensah Sarbah Hall are affected even though that hall is a mixed hall.
They explain that being a man should not be synonymous to crime and therefore the university’s decision taken against men of the halls is unjust.
The cost of private hostels is an additional factor raised by the Old Vandals.
According to them, the cost is high and in some cases, triple the cost of the traditional halls and therefore affects students who cannot afford and had budgeted their little resources on their allocated rooms in the traditional halls.
The University of Ghana (UG) issued a notice in December 2022 on students’ residence arrangements, beginning the 2022/23 academic year.
According to the notice signed by the registrar, all continuing students of Commonwealth Hall and male students of Mensah Sarbah Hall are not to return to their respective halls and another traditional hall but are to be randomly assigned to available rooms in any of the UGEL and private hostels available.
The decision however excluded females of Mensah Sarbah Hall and students with special needs from both halls.
In a related case, a certified chartered economist and Old Vandal; Mr. Bernard Oduro Takyi has called on the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) and the Economic Crime and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) to investigate the ownership of private hotels on the University of Ghana campus.
He alleges that some officials have interests in these private hostels and therefore want to direct traffic and interest for profits.
